Apprenticeship positives +

[MumnMore]

Any positive apprenticeship stories?
My 16 year old son has secured an apprenticeship in engineering for September. He is really proud of himself as he struggles with confidence and didn’t think he would get one. He really wants to do mechanics rather than metal engineering and has an assessment with Arnold Clark next week. He has to do a practical test and is really nervous.
I have two questions really:
Does anyone know more about this practical assessment?
has anyone got any positive stories about apprenticeships?

My partner and I both did apprenticeships. Myself business and partner engineering.
It's been great. No debt and earning from day one!

We are now in 30s, moved to Australia on partner's trade 7 years ago. Earning really well and lovely lifestyle.

apprenticeships are great!

I went to university because I was “gifted” and my brother, who is dyslexic and struggled at school, did an engineering apprenticeship. I, early 30s, earn just over 40k with student debt. Small 3 bed, almost 20 year old hatchback, modest lifestyle with a family holiday a year.

My brother, late 20s, earns nearly 90k (much more with wife’s salary, who also did apprenticeship), massive 5 bed house in exclusive location, very new SUV car bought outright, no debt, 3+ luxury holidays a year.

My job is pretty dead-end, brother’s job still has much higher earning potential. I’m proud of him but probably would have down things differently for myself had I known what could have been.

Apprenticeships all the way, as far as I’m concerned.

I work in a completely different industry but we are just about to recruit an apprentice. One of the prerequisites of the government funding for it is that the apprentice must have almost no previous experience. The practical test we give them at interview has to be something they can do without having had experience so it will be more focused on how well they follow instructions, perhaps how creative they are, attention to detail, those kind of things. So not something you can really prepare for. I think the best thing he could do is make sure he asks for clarification if there's anything he's unsure about. You could try asking chat GPT to come up with some suggested practical tests for an engineering apprenticeship he could do at home. Something like that might help him feel more prepared and confident.

But are you in the same line if work? Otherwise it's like comparing oranges and appleso

I can't help with the Arnold Clark practical tests but my son did similar I imagine for his apprenticeship in car manufacturing and he found it fairly easy and he wasn't the most practical of people.

As for positive apprenticeship stories my DSs apprenticeship has been the making of him. He has matured a lot, is loving life and especially the money. He just seems so much more worldly wise than his friends who went to sixth form.

It's a big learning curve for them at 16 in terms of being in employment. DS was unprepared when he was expected to make decisions about his pension etc at 16, also the lack of holidays took some getting used to as well especially as his GF is in college so has a lot

I work with engineering apprentices and support them through their programme.
Most of them thrive, their employers and us are very invested in them and job prospects further down the line are great.

Some of them struggle with the transition, they have to get on board with the different expectations of being an employee and not a student. There's no messing about and you have to get on with it. But as long as he shows up with the right attitude he should be fine.

All these replies are really useful. Thanks to those who have advised on his practical test and the positive apprenticeship stories are great!